KUDZOO

phatalbert
to avoid looking like an american just dont wear shorts,tennis shoes, tee shirts, and dont be loud and annoying.

Fidel

lol Phatalbert, ABBA is a good retro look.

I too would like AlanRow to elaborate on the "large dog between the legs" walk, please.

RufusTFirefly

Shorts won't be needed at that time--as you already said. But many Germans will still wear them with their sandals and socks.

The shorts thing is way out of date--at least in Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. We got back from these countries a couple of weeks ago, and people of all nationalities (including the locals) were wearing shorts--and T-shirts. If it's hot, wear shorts.

Of course there are places where shorts are not appropriate anywhere--the symphony, fine restaurants, and such.

lyb

>>to avoid looking like an american just dont wear shorts,tennis shoes, tee shirts, and dont be loud and annoying<<

That's funny, I could say the exact same for all the Eastern Europeans, English, French...etc....who I see around Sacramento...especially the loud part...

ma23peas

I think the large dog between the legs refers to bow-legged americans...remember the old John Wayne films or have you ever ridden a horse for hours only to get off and realize your legs are bent in that position? We just have more bow-legged citizens I guess!
Tara

SeaUrchin

I'm busy trying to imagine Americans walking around Europe as if a large dog were between their legs. It does bring up an interesting mental picture. A St. Bernard perhaps? Oh, my, something new to worry about...

SeaUrchin

Oh, I see, we park our horses at the airport and jump right on that them thar plane. Makes sense now.

murphy89

pfatalbert don't be worried that you might be pegged as an American. You are an American. You shouldn't be ashamed of where you come from - just represent well

anna_roz

There is absolutely nothing wrong with dressing like an American, whatever that might mean, since American tourists dress just as nice as any other tourists and general population of France (have not been to Germany, so I do not know). Just make sure that you bring with you appropriate clothing for the weather and enjoy your trip. I would not recommend buying any clothing in France, since it is incredibly expensive and a variety of clothing at any Nordstroms or a well-stocked Macy's in US is much nicer and of a superior quality.

Another thing, if you are out and are enjoying yourself--and even if you are not Russian or German--go ahead and speak at whatever volume you normally speak. We are who we are and there is no need to retrain ourselves for a two-week visit to a foreign country. Do remember that you are making a contribution to the economy over there and there is no need to be ashamed of your nationality or feel inadequate in any way.

Anna Roz

bill_boy

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
American tourists dress just as nice as any other tourists and general population of France ....
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Still waiting for the punchline ...

emilid

When I worked in the tourist industry in Australia, I usually picked the Americans not by their clothes, but by their hair and if they smile, usually by their teeth.

More often than not, American women hadstyled-to-the-hilt hair, tanned skin, and pearly white crowns or dentures.

Of course, that could be true for several countries, but when you add the "Timberland" jackets, the university ball-caps, and the "Prado" purse, it was kind of a giveaway.

Of course, that is how I, an Aussie, spot an American in Australia. I can't speak for Europe, but I would assume it is similar.

Liz
ozmum.com

E_M

Don't dress like you've come to mow their lawn.

Don't wear clothes with logos.

Don't wear clothes that advertise something (Beerfest 2005, Little League Champs, State University '65, etc.)

JAGIRL

ma23peas,
What is banding you ask?

The answer lies below my dear :


Author: m_kingdom2
Date: 10/21/2004, 11:58 am

Blue jeans worn with black create a thick and obvious banding around the waist - the top and bottom half don't merge, they sit opposing each other.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34536321

Nina66

Put a maple leaf decal on your forehead, wear lederhosen, a beret, and colored bowling shoes and you will confuse the heck out of them. Above all, never never speak to or acknowledge another American in public.

Nina

SeaUrchin

I don't know where all of this badly dressed Americans idea originated. If I notice anyone's clothes at all it is sometimes a well dressed American. Other times a well dressed European.

If you are dressed less than stellar no one will notice you anyway.

madameX

Very much agree with everything E_M said.

Sorry to say, my European friends say that most of the people one sees in shorts, particularly in the major city centers (e.g. Paris, Rome) are Americans. There are others, but the odds are good...

Largely, Americans are much sloppier/casual in their dress. Europeans in their off hours are casual, but the devil is in the details - the causal shoes are snazzy sports shoes, NOT crummy running shoes. (I heard one person complain, "but they wear sports shoes...," but he was totaly oblivious to the finer details. If you can really work out in the shoes, you are probably an American.)

They don't really do oversize garments, and consider this sloppy dress. To paraphrase, E_M, if you could just as easily do housework or change the oil, you are often too casual compared to what most Europeans would wear.

That said, Europeans really don't seem to have a problem with American tourists per se -- just the ill-mannered, loud ones, or those who show little respect for being in public (like in appropriate dress if you are in a nice restaurant, even a bistro. You won't get kicked out, but don't expect that you'd impprove the perception of American dress.)

But you will probably be seen as an American, or at least as a tourist, if you have obviously comfortable clothes on. Remember: many Europeans are going to offices, etc. They are not going to hike for hours, or stand on stone floors at a museum. Probably, you will also walk like a tourist, i.e stroling and gawking, not moving with an immediate objective. Finally, americans assume taht they have a lot of personal space, e.g. sprawl on a metro seat. You rearely see Europeans do this.

My impression is that many guys who answer this will indicate a level of dress that is more casual than would pass for a European -- "I was fine with...." But rest assured, what they meant wass, "I wasn't kicked out...." i.e. they may not have been appropriate, but tolerated.

Nina66

I just came across this recent post .....

"My husband and I will be coming from Paris to America in July. This will be our first trip to America. We plan on visiting New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. We speak very little English (our nanny is writing this for us).

My question - how can we avoid looking French and standing out in a crowd. We don't want to look like what we are, we want to fool everyone into thinking that we are Americans.

How should we dress and what should we avoid?"

How many of those post have we seen???? Now those are the ones that are getting old to me!

Nina

Neopolitan

MadameX, one flaw with your post is that you seem to be comparing Americans on Vacations with French who are going to work. Duh. Of course they don't dress the same. But go to Paris now and see the tons of French and other European vacationers, and 90% of your statements will fly out the window. If you really think that in this hot weather there aren't lots of French sloppily dressed in shorts, tennis shoes, and oversized clothing on their days off or on their vacations, then you obviously have had your eyes shut.

JAGIRL

You won't get kicked out, but don't expect that you'd impprove the perception of American dress

O.k. so I'm not American...but I had no idea that my purpose in travel was to improve the perception of my homeland's sense of fashion.

...hmmm...Come to think of it, all those trips just felt so empty and without a real sense of purpose.
Well...now I see the light.

madameX

I guess it depends where you go, and what you are paying attention to. I was in Paris in June.